2.7 The climate

The planet is heating up and experts claim that human beings are responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions in the world. In Norway, we release ten tons of CO2 per person per year. More than two of these come from cars.

2.7.1 Measuring your impact on the environment

As an event-organizer, you can accept the responsibility for reducing the event’s emissions and encourage volunteers, artists, visitors and collaborators to do the same. To reduce your own greenhouse gas emissions, you first need to know what your event currently emits. Julies Bicycle has developed an online IG tool to measure the emissions from your festival.

When the numbers describing your environmental impact in the areas of energy consumption and transportation of goods and people are ready, you can initiate concrete environmental efforts in these areas (see tips further down). The first priority is to reduce your own impact. Then you may consider compensating for the remaining unavoidable emissions by purchasing UN-approved climate quotas, so-called CDM-quotas. Read more about CDM-quotas on http://cdm.unfccc.int/index.html or check out the video at Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency or participate in the environmental campaign initiated by The Ministery of Environment on www.klimaloftet.no.

2.7.2 Environmental initiatives for energy

Energy consumption at events spreads over several areas: electricity, ventilation/heating and transportation.

Many events consume a lot of energy, e.g. stages and concerts. If you are not connected to a regular power grid, you can use aggregate and/or other technical equipment that runs on biodiesel.

Event hosts often rent halls or other large facilities for the event, and thus have little influence on energy consumption.

If you have your own facilities, please read through the tips below:

Measure and register energy consumption regularly

Examine routines to reveal unnecessary use of energy

Consider the option of automatic lighting, e.g. timers, dimmers, light or motion sensors. There are systems for both outdoor and indoor use

Use light-saving bulbs and fluorescent tubes wherever it is practical, e.g. as outdoor lighting or in facilities without electrical heating

Emphasize your low energy consumption requirements when buying new equipment
Use timers or turn down heaters when the facilities are not in use

Check the insulation and sealing strips on doors and windows and in refrigeration rooms, freezers, ovens, and hot closets

Consider the possibility of heat recovery from the ventilation system, cooling facilities or drainage water

Turn off all lights when leaving a room

Consider the possibility of using renewable energy sources

Request green power from your power company (point of origin guarantee)

Case study from Øya

In 2009 the transport department developed a customized sms service that registrated and sendt out a reminder on how much emissions each transport mission contributed with.

2.7.3 Environmental efforts for transportation

Transportation to and from events will make up your largest source of emissions. An event uses transportation in diverse ways, both in areas of normal operations, administration, and the carrying through of the event. Goods must be delivered and retrieved. Artists, participants, and not least visitors need transportation to get to and from the event.

The goal is to facilitate conditions that require the least amount of transportation.

We will here offer you some advice on what you should consider during the planning stage and the carrying out of the event.

Develop a programme that requires the least amount of moving around. You can achieve this by limiting and planning your transportation.

Ensure that most activites happen within walking distance of each other.

Choose environmentally friendly means of transportation, public transport, or bycicles where possible

Set up frequent bus routes (or similar) to and from venues. If this is to work properly, you must provide your visitors with easily accessible information about departure times and bus stops.

Also provide information about airport coaches and other forms public transport systems.

Work with a transport company. You could e.g. offer tickets to the event that include transportation, or that give discounts on public transport.